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Topic: Black Bee (Read 1989 times)

This may be normal to have some black bees in your hive but this is the first time that I have seen one this black, I actually saw two black bees. Sorry to get excited about a black bee but to me beekeeping still has wonderfully supprises to see. She belonged to my hive, I watched her on the outside for a while and then I saw both black bees go into the hive.

I have a digital copy of the 1881 "Household Cyclopedia" that has section on beekeeping and mentions that Black bees were being replaced with the Italians. Black bees were, apparently, early types brought over from Europe. I have also read that the German and Scottish bees are black, not sure on that as I have never seen them. Wondering if there are survivor strains out there now adding their influence to our current strains of bees?

Cruachan!

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Cruachan!

Highlander

For as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom — for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.From The Declaration of Arbroath 1320.

Not all a bees sisters look the same. Look at how many different dads are involved during the mating flight. And then all the genetics involved with the grand parents and great grand parents of those worker bees. You can have black, yellow, and everything in-between born in the same hive.

This is from a swarm that showed up in my bee yard first of October. I did notice the Q was a lot barker that any of the other Q's I have, her abdomen is all black but her thorax is a little lighter. Since I hived the swarm I make a combine with a another hive that came up Q less, they have accepted her and looked yesterday and she is still laying. Hope she makes it through the winter, (not much winter here in South Carolina :)).

at this time of year you are likely to see more and more black bees in a hive. as a bee gets a bit older it will loose it hair on it's abdomen and appear to be black. if you should witness episodes of robbing behavior often time these bees are older with hairless abdomens and they will appear quite black.

WELL thanks a lot derekm: I just read about the syndrome, and you just busted my interesting black bee bubble. Glad I only saw two and like the symptons said they did not fly just walked around and went back in the hive. I would have taking them out if I had know about the syndrome. As is said I did lose the Q to this hive, had high V-mites, treated got the mite count down and added the swarm that was in a nuc from first of Oct. Hopefully the new Q will turn this around, she has been in this hive one week and is laying.

And I thought I had some new genes in my hive LOL, looks like I got something I don't want.dan

WELL thanks a lot derekm: I just read about the syndrome, and you just busted my interesting black bee bubble. Glad I only saw two and like the symptons said they did not fly just walked around and went back in the hive. I would have taking them out if I had know about the syndrome. As is said I did lose the Q to this hive, had high V-mites, treated got the mite count down and added the swarm that was in a nuc from first of Oct. Hopefully the new Q will turn this around, she has been in this hive one week and is laying.

And I thought I had some new genes in my hive LOL, looks like I got something I don't want.dan

sorry to be the bearer of bad news

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If they increased energy bill for your home by a factor of 4.5 would you consider that cruel? If so why are you doing that to your bees?

I got a hive of black bees. I don’t know if it was a trap or a open mated queen but they are one mean group of bees! I opened the hive after doing about 4 other ones and was nailed 10 times before dropping the top. Thinking that Queen is going to be short for this world when I see drones flying.

I got a hive of black bees. I don’t know if it was a trap or a open mated queen but they are one mean group of bees! I opened the hive after doing about 4 other ones and was nailed 10 times before dropping the top. Thinking that Queen is going to be short for this world when I see drones flying.

THATS IT!! I have been LOOKING for those bees!!! I had a hive in a tree in a park this spring that HAD to be removed. People were getting stung TWO BLOCKS away.. (town blocks not city)

I got stung multiple times walking over to look.. put my suit on, and walked over to the tree... bees were thick on my veil.. and THAT is what they looked like, just as black as can be. Some had a single stripe, but most all of them were like that.. MEANEST bees I have ever had to deal with.. it took me a half hour after I walked back to the truck to actually get back into my truck... It was mid may, flow was strong, temps were mild.. so no idea why they were so angry... they died,, unfortunately... hole in tree got filled and covered... a couple weeks later I got another call to a farm house.. they killed the couples dog, and both residents got stung multiple times.. they had taken up residence in the eve over the porch.. Same scenario, MEAN, nasty little things.. I pulled the soffit down and they BOILED out.. I use an ultra breeze, and its the first time I have ever been stung through it. I TRIED to cut them out.. they had six combs bright and fresh... On the third sting throught he suit I had enough, i couldnt SEE what I was doing.. Fired the vac up and just went haywire sucking them in... When all was said and done, I found the queen in the mess, and she was just as black as the rest of the bees with yellow tints where her legs and wings joined her body.. Absolutely STUNNING to look at.. but I have no tolerance for bees that mean... SO... you all think these are just carnies gone bad? I have carniolan, and new world carniolan.. the carniolan are black, but they are striped black, not solid black like THAT bee in the picture... BOTH of these hives looked like this... I have not had a call for bees like this again, and until now have not found any information on them.. Thank you for the pics and posting this dprater!